Pádraig O'Sullivan (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The shortage of teachers has a dramatic knock-on effect on students, teachers and the whole education system. Lack of sufficient qualified teachers and staff instability threaten students' ability to learn and reduce teachers' effectiveness. Teacher shortages at post-primary level need to be tackled in the context of growing student numbers. Every year as principals scramble to fill posts for the following September, we hear of shortages in particular subject areas. A Teachers Union of Ireland survey has found that subjects like home economics, French, mathematics, Spanish and the sciences are particularly affected. Does the Minister envisage that the additional 1,080 posts which have been announced will go some way to addressing this problem?

See this speech in context